Combined socket cover and plug retainer

ABSTRACT

A plastic member is provided with a hinge that is attached to a supporting wall next to an electrical socket. The plastic member is provided with a retaining flange spaced from the hinge. When the socket is empty, the member can be pivoted on its hinge down over the socket, and can be held by the retaining flange so as to serve as a cover for the socket. When a plug is to be inserted in the socket, the member can be pivoted on its hinge so that the retaining flange can engage the plug so as to serve as a plug retainer.

United States Patent Mann et a].

[451 Apr. 25, 1972 [54] COMBINED SOCKET COVER AND PLUG RETAINER [72] Inventors: Friedrich l-I. Mann; Henry A. Schaefer, both of Lynchburg, Va.

Abraham et a1...

Cormier ..339/44 R 3,178,674 4/1965 Scheller ..339/91 R X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 445,820 2/1949 Italy ..339/39 Primary Examiner-Marvin A. Champion Assistant Examiner-Terrell P. Lewis Attorney-James J. Williams, Frank L. Neuhauser, Oscar B. Waddell and Joseph B. Forman [5 7] ABSTRACT A plastic member is provided with a hinge that is attached to a supporting wall next to an electrical socket. The plastic member is provided with a retaining flange spaced from the hinge. When the socket is empty, the member can be pivoted on its hinge down over the socket, and can be held by the retaining flange so as to serve as a cover for the socket. When a plug is to be inserted in the socket, the member can be pivoted on its hinge so that the retaining flange can engage the plug so as to serve as a plug retainer.

1 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPRZSIQR 3.659.248

INVENTORSi FRIEDRICH H. MANN, HENRY A. SCHAEFER,

BY T R ATTORNEY.

COMBINED SOCKET COVER AND PLUG RETAINER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Our invention relates to a combined cover and retainer, and particularly to a combined cover for an electrical socket and a retainer for an electrical plug.

Electrical sockets are frequently provided on apparatus to permit an external electrical connection to be made with some part or circuit within the apparatus. For example, a radio transmitter may require an electrical connection between the radio transmitter and an external device such as a microphone and a push-to-talk switch. In such a situation, an electrical socket is provided on one of the external surfaces of the case that houses the radio transmitter with appropriate connections between the socket and the associated internal transmitter circuit. An external microphone with a push-to-talk switch is attached to a plug which can be inserted into the socket when desired. While such arrangements facilitate making a connection to an internal circuit, the arrangements have permitted dust and dirt to get into the socket and possibly into the apparatus, so that a faulty connection or failure of the apparatus may result. In addition, the plug may be inadvertently pulled out of the socket, breaking the connection and, in some instances, damaging the plug, the socket, or the apparatus.

Accordingly, an object of our invention is to provide a new and improved combined socket cover and plug retainer for electrical apparatus.

Another object of our invention is to provide a novel device which can be attached to electrical apparatus, the device being arranged to pivot and cover an electrical socket on the apparatus, or to pivot so that a plug can be inserted in the socket and retained by the cover.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, these and other objects are achieved in accordance with our invention by an elongated, flexible or plastic cover that has a hinge adapted to be attached to a housing wall adjacent to an electrical socket. The cover is shaped so as to cover the socket, and is provided with a retaining flange at the end remote from its hinge. This retaining flange is formed by a wall extending from the cover and having a surface that forms an acute angle with the cover surface. The retaining flange permits the cover to frictionally engage the socket, or to mechanically engage an appropriate projection on a plug when the plug is inserted in the socket. Thus, the cover serves the combined function of a socket cover and a plug retainer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The subject matter which we regard as our invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims. The structure and operation of our invention, together with further objects and advantages, may be better understood from the following description given in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of radio apparatus having an electrical socket, a cover .in accordance with our invention, and a plug positioned to be inserted into the socket;

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of our cover, this plan view showing the inner surface or side of our cover; and

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of our cover taken along the line 3--3 in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 1, we have shown a cover in accordance with our invention used, by way of example only, with a radio receiver 12. The receiver 12 is contained in a suitable housing (only part of which is shown) having a supporting wall 13 on which is mounted an electrical socket 14. The socket 14 has sides which extend upward from the wall 13 and which are engaged by our cover 10 in the closed position. The socket 14 may include one or more connectors in order to make connections to parts of the radio receiver circuit, such as the antenna input, the power input, or the audio output. These connections are made through an electrical plug 16 which has one or more connectors that mate and connect with corresponding connectors in the socket 14. The connectors on the plug 16 are connected to appropriate wires or leads housed in a cable 17 that extends to a desired location and equipment (not shown). Our cover 10 is attached to the wall 13 by a hinge portion 18 which, in turn, may be attached by the same hardware used to fasten the socket 14. As will be described in greater detail in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3, our cover 10 pivots downward about its hinge portion 18 and covers the electrical socket 14 to keep out dust and dirt, and pivots upward so that the plug 16 can be inserted into the socket 14 as indicated by the arrows. When the plug 16 is inserted in the socket 14, our cover 10 can engage an appropriately shaped projection or wedge 20 on the plug 16 to firmly hold the plug 16 in its inserted position in the socket 14. We have found that our cover 10 is securely attached to the socket 16 when used as a cover, and also firmly retains the plug 16 in the socket 14 against pull and strain on the cable 17.

Our cover 10 is shown in greater detail inFIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a plan view of our cover 10, showing the surface or side that faces or engages the socket 14 when the cover 10 covers the socket 14. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of our cover 10 taken along the line 33 in FIG. 2. Our cover 10 is preferably made of a very strong and flexible thermoplastic material such as polypropylene, and is preferably made as an integral unit in a single molding operation. The cover 10 comprises the hinge portion or member 18 which is to be fastened to a plate or member, such as the wall 13 of the receiver 12. The hinge portion 18 is provided with a suitable hole or opening 21 which permits our cover 10 to be attached. This attachment may be made by inserting the hinge portion 18 through a suitable hole or opening in a wall, and inserting a retaining member (which may be part of the hardware for holding the socket 14) through the hole 21 to hold the cover 10 in position. The hinge portion 18 is provided with a beveled surface 22 to reduce the thickness of the hinge portion 18 to a relatively small neck 23. The neck 23 must provide sufficient strength and flexibility to permit the cover 10 to be easily pivoted or moved about the hinge portion 18, and still not fatigue and break. The cover 10 comprises an elongated top 25 which has the same general size and shape as the socket which the cover 10 is to protect. The surface of the top 25 which faces away from the socket 14 may be provided with recesses 26 and ribs 27 for strengthening the cover 10. These recesses 26 may be used for application of metal foil nameplates for code numbers or instructionsif desired. The surface 250 of the top 25 that faces toward or is adjacent the socket 14 is generally flat and plane. This surface 25a is provided with a retaining flange 30 at the end remote from the hinge portion 18. The retaining flange 30 is spaced a distance such that when the cover 10 is pivoted down over an electrical socket, such as the socket 14 of FIG. 1, the inner face 30a of the retaining flange 30 frictionally engages a vertical side or edge of the socket l4 and holds the cover 10 in position with its plane surface 25a against or adjacent to the upper surface of the socket. As seen in FIG. 3, this retention is provided by making the inner or engaging surface 30a of the retaining flange 30 form an acute angle with the plane surface 25a of the top 25. In one embodiment of a cover constructed in accordance with our invention, this acute angle was approximately 78. While not essential or necessary, we also prefer that the top 25 be provided with longitudinal side flanges 32 which are positioned and spaced to engage the vertical sides of a socket such as the socket 14. The side flanges 32 are also provided with retaining projections 33 which provide additional frictional engagement with the vertical sides of a socket. While also not necessary, our cover 10 may be provided with a projection or tab 35 to facilitate operation of the cover 10. The projection 35 is particularly helpful or useful in removing the cover 10 from its frictional engagement with a socket such as the socket 14, or with a plug, such as the plug 16. The surface 250 may also be provided with a tapered boss or plug positioned so that it can engage with a large contact opening in the socket 14. In this case, the large contact opening could be made virtually waterproof when the cover is closed over the socket 14.

When our cover 10 is in position on a supporting or enclosing wall, such as the wall 13, it will be seen that the cover 10 may be pivoted down and held in tight frictional engagement with the sides of an appropriately shaped socket, such as the socket l4, and thereby exclude dust and dirt from the connectors in the socket 14. When a plug, such as the plug 16, is to be inserted in the socket, the cover 10 may be pivoted up and out of the way by placing a finger under the projection 35 and disengaging the cover 10 and pivoting it about the neck 23 to the position shown in FIG. 1. The plug 16 may then be inserted in the socket 14, after which the cover 10 is pressed against the plug 16 so that the retaining flange 30 snaps over and mechanically engages the shoulder 20a on the wedge 20. We have found that with proper design, particularly making the acute angle between the surface 30d and the surface a correspond to the angle of the shoulder 20a on the wedge 20, the plug 16 is securely held in the socket l4 and can resist a substantial strain or pull. Thus, a plug is firmly held in the socket by our cover, and our cover also protects the socket from dust and dirt when a plug is not inserted in a socket.

While we have shown only one preferred embodiment of our invention, persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a cover having all of the advantages of our invention may be provided in different forms. For example, various acute angles between the surfaces 25a, a may be utilized, depending upon design preference and choice. While we prefer the side flanges 32, they may be omitted if desired. Similarly, the recesses 26 and ribs 27 may be omitted. Various devices or methods may be used to attach the hinge portion 18, although we prefer a device which also holds the socket. And various dimensions for the neck 23 on the hinge portion 18 may be provided, depending upon the strength and flexibility of the material used in the cover 10. Therefore, while our invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment, it is to be understood that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the claims.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A device for covering an electrical socket mounted on a supporting wall and alternatively for retaining an electrical plug in an inserted position in said socket, said device comprising:

a. an elongated top formed of a strong and flexible plastic material;

b. a hinge portion formed of a strong and flexible plastic material and attached to one end of said top, said hinge portion being adapted to be fastened to a supporting wall and being movable at its point of attachment so that said top may be moved relative to said supporting wall;

c. a retaining flange formed of a strong and flexible plastic material and attached to one surface of said top at the other end from said hinge portion, said retaining flange extending from said one surface of said top and having a surface facing said hinge portion that forms an acute angle with respect to said one surface of said top, that frictionally engages a portion of an electrical socket when said top covers said electrical socket, and that mechanically engages a portion of an electrical plug when said top is in an open position and said electrical plug is inserted in said electrical socket, thereby providing a cover for said electrical socket and retaining an electrical plug inserted in said socket;

d. side flanges attached to said one surface of said top and extending from said retaining flange along both sides of said top toward said one end of said top;

e. and an operating tab extending from said top beyond said retaining flange;

f. said top, said hinge portion, said retaining flange, said side flanges, and said operating tab being integrally formed of a strong and flexiblf pl astig material. 

1. A device for covering an electrical socket mounted on a supporting wall and alternatively for retaining an electrical plug in an inserted position in said socket, said device comprising: a. an elongated top formed of a strong and flexible plastic material; b. a hinge portion formed of a strong and flexible plastic material and attached to one end of said top, said hinge portion being adapted to be fastened to a supporting wall and being movable at its point of attachment so that said top may be moved relative to said supporting wall; c. a retaining flange formed of a strong and flexible plastic material and attached to one surface of said top at the other end from said hinge portion, said retaining flange extending from said one surface of said top and having a surface facing said hinge portion that forms an acute angle with respect to said one surface of said top, that frictionally engages a portion of an electrical socket when said top covers said electrical socket, and that mechanically engages a portion of an electrical plug when said top is in an open position and said electrical plug is inserted in said electrical socket, thereby providing a cover for said electrical socket and retaining an electrical plug inserted in said socket; d. side flanges attached to said one surface of said top and extending from said retaining flange along both sides of said top toward said one end of said top; e. and an operating tab extending from said top beyond said retaining flange; f. said top, said hinge portion, said retaining flange, said side flanges, and said operating tab being integrally formed of a strong and flexible plastic material. 